Reviews of Desert View (NPS Campground)

Rating:

8

10

Clean Restrooms:

Clean Showers:

Sep 2014 -
$9.00

Like all NPS parks, this one is 'dry camping'. Water hydrants strategically placed in park. Length limit of 30' on RV, no big rigs in here. First come first serve, park fills up fast. We were in Spot 42 (?) with good view of desert. Crowded but some spaces on the outside of the loop have privacy. Some people have no concept of 'quiet hours'.... rental rvs and generators...... ugh! we would camp here again - Jim Lee

Sep 2012 -
$12.00

This is a National Park Service campground. There are NO hookups; it is boondocking at its finest. If you want to get away from the bedlam at the Grand Canyon Village area, this is the place. We stayed in site #22, in the back of the loop. Bring leveling boards or be prepared to use your leveling system if you have one. Absolute quiet, all you hear are the ravens and the wind. Short bike ride or walk to the canyon rim and the watch tower. No facilities at the campground other than restrooms and water spigots throughout the park. No dump station; you need to go to Mather campground (26 miles) to dump. If you love peace and quiet, this is your paradise; if you want hustle and bustle and hookups, go to Trailer Village. Not reservable; first come, first served, but we had no problem finding a site in September. We loved this place and will definitely return. - baraff

Reviews of Mather Campground (NPS Campground)

Rating:

6

10

9

7

8

Clean Restrooms:

Clean Showers:

Dec 2014 -
$8.00

This campground is very small and we were told at the park entrance we would not be able to get our rig into it. We did find a spot for our 29 foot 5th wheel but we had to unhook. The asphalt is breaking down on the spurs, probably the entire campground needs to be revamped for larger RVs. There is an RV park nearby which is more expensive than this campground which gives us 1/2 price for out National Park senior pass. The area is beautiful, the bike trails are wonderful (and in wonderful shape) and the old hotels and gift shops are great. Can't beat Grand Canyon. - saturn7

Oct 2014 -
$18.00

This is real camping, at its best. Sites are large, forested, and private. Picnic tables and fire rings at every site. Restrooms are clean and well lit. Grounds are well maintained and clean. During the day, the canyon pulls you in and demands to be seen. Evenings are great for sitting by the campfire, taking in the dark, starry sky, other campfires and the lilt of soft laughter and conversations. Public transportation is available at the main gate and will take you anywhere in the park--so no need to break camp while there. There's a laundry facility, park grocer, gift shops, cafe, restaurants, hotels. One of our nicest national parks. - MargaretL

Jun 2014 -
$7.00

Large sites with shade from pine trees, tables, and fire rings. Very quiet campground with easy access to all the sites on the South Rim. There is a shuttle bus stop at the entrance to the campground and there are two links to paved bike paths to IMAX and most rim destinations. Shuttle buses have bike racks to make one-way trips possible. Water is available throughout the campground as well as at the free dump station near the entrance. - SideBySiders

Reviews of North Rim Campground (NPS Campground)

Rating:

8

7

8

10

8

Clean Restrooms:

Clean Showers:

Sep 2014 -
$9.00

The location is fantastic, both the North Rim and the campground. Very spacious, light and airy. Good shade from the tall pine trees. We were there late September during a warm spell, didn't need any heat whatever. AT&T cellular phone and data nonexistent (someone did have coverage, perhaps Verizon, as we saw roaming available. The drawbacks are no hookups (but an excellent 2-position dump station), sites mostly unlevel (some very seriously enough I had to wonder how anyone could get level), could be tough for large rigs to enter/exit the pull thus because of large pine trees at one or both ends of the pullthrus. The pullthrus are paved, off both sides of the paved roads; they are semi-circles, not traditional pullthrus (see the campground map). If you are in a site on the left side of the roads, your RV door opens to the road, not to the side with the picnic bench (as we were in site 69). The negatives are minor compared to the beauty of the location and the feeling of not being at all crowded. Restrooms were kept very clean, didn't use showers or laundry. A very pleasant 2 nights (campground full every night). Rate reflects senior discount. - westerntraveler

Sep 2013 -
$9.00

We were staying at this park during the Great Government Shutdown of 2013. It is a lovely park with no hookups, but good paved roads and driveways. The pads were unlevel, and after we spent some time leveling, we entertained ourselves watching other rigs go back and forth trying to level. The spaces are large and it is only 1+ miles to the Lodge and visitor center so it is very convenient. An absolutely beautiful setting. We would stay in this park again. Price indicates Senior 1/2 price rate. - california traveler

Aug 2013 -
$25.00

Wow, this park is great! There are 78 campsites and another 12 tent-only sites, all dry camping. This is the North Rim Campground and operated by the National Park Service on the north rim of the Grand Canyon which is the same location as the North Rim Lodge and Cabins, operated by a concessionaire and location of the U.S. Post Office. I make this distinction because I have seen reviews that associate the North Rim with Jacobs Lake and the DeMotte campground. DeMotte is a few miles away and acts as a sort of overflow for North Rim. North Rim is booked full every day, way in advance. Make your reservations early, like a year early. North Rim Campground is way off the beaten path. Yes, the campground, lodge and cabins are booked full for the entire season (May to October) but the number of people making it to the North Rim is one-tenth the numbers that the South Rim sees. The drive from Flagstaff to North Rim took us about 5 hours with our 5th wheel. The drive to the campground is beautiful and almost worth it by itself, but once you cross Lee’s Ferry Bridge in Marble Canyon it is about 30 miles of uphill. Some sections are long and steep enough that it will push your transmission temperatures about as high as they should go. North Rim Campground is an old, CCC built facility. Technically, there are pull-through sites but don’t let that fool you into thinking your big rig can get in. The pull-throughs are just curved driveways alongside the road. And the curves in many spaces can be very tight with large Ponderosa Pines lining the drive so closely that even pop-ups, Casitas, Scamps, and A-liners sometimes have to be unhooked and positioned by hand. Also, when making your reservation, be mindful of the side of the road your site is on. If you are tent camping it won’t make any difference, but if you have any kind of RV that you want the entry door to face the picnic table & fire ring then you need to pick a site on the right side of the road. The streets are all one way so you can’t (if the rangers catch you) come down a road backwards so you can be turned the right way. But enough of that, this place is gorgeous. There is a mix of Ponderosa Pine and Aspen, wildflowers peak in August, and there are more views of the canyon than you can see in the one week limit of the campground. If you are a hiker they have trails of every kind. Everything from paved walkways on flat ground to canyon rim trails (no railing!); to the multi-day hike to the South Rim. Days are mildly warm, 70’s and low 80’s. Nights are cool. In our few days we have seen anywhere from 41 to 61 for overnight lows. August is monsoon time. There have been frequent downpours and more lightning than I care to be around. This is one of those campgrounds that you have to go to at least once. It is worth the effort. WiFi is available but only if you walk to the campground store and get in just the right spot on the porch. No AT&T phone at all, Verizon is text capable sometimes. If you want to make a call you have to hike out to a point that can see the South Rim where the cell tower is, ten miles away. - jperry29

Reviews of Trailer Village (NPS Campground)

Rating:

8

9

9

9

9

Clean Restrooms:

Clean Showers:

Nov 2014 -
$36.00

You are not too far from the rim. They have a shuttle bus to get to far the view points. It is a short walk to the stop. If you want showers they are at Mather campground (coin operated). For Wi-Fi you have to go to the cafe by the market. The sites are paved and fairly level. Picnic table and BBQ. - Pamela & Gerald

Oct 2014 -
$36.00

We really enjoyed this campground. It is nice and convenient to be inside the NP, and be able to ride the bus shuttle to different areas of the park. There is a nice market within walking distance of the campground. We were greeted by elk the day we pulled in and got set up. The sites are long and level, Verizon signal is decent, we were able to use our satellite, but there was also cable available. We will definitely return to this campground.....highly recommend! - henny38

Oct 2014 -
$38.00

Stayed here four nights while visiting the Grand Canyon. All sites are pull-through and fairly level. Fair amount of space between sites with a grill and picnic table. Our site did not have a cable TV hook up; with an antenna, we were able to get one station. Phone service was spotty throughout the entire Grand Canyon park. My husband and I really enjoyed our stay at this park. It is nothing fancy but it is so convenient to everything the Grand Canyon NP has to offer. Just a short walk to the shuttle service and paved walking paths. Mule deer and a single bull elk wandered through the park eating acorns. Lots of services within the park to take advantage of. Would definitely stay here again. - DMR2011